Modern audio and video processing systems typically use multiple cameras for simultaneous audio and video recording of their subjects. For the multiple recordings to be effectively employed in post-production, where all of the raw recording materials are edited into a final recording, the audio and video signals from all utilized cameras must be carefully synchronized.
In a media synchronization system, acquiring media from multiple devices can improve the quality of the final media product. Conventionally, professional media production has been limited to information captured by professional equipment connected to synchronization equipment. This information is often inaccessible or difficult to access by the general public. As consumer media devices become more commonplace, consumers are routinely recording and photographing events. In many cases, consumers are also publishing and sharing these recordings and photographs with the public via social media platforms. While consumer media devices continue to develop, these devices are inherently limited to a single view from a particular location. Furthermore, these consumer media devices likely capture media with a lower quality than a professional setup.
Many media applications capture information using multiple devices. However, these multi-camera or multi-device configurations inherently pose significant data processing problems. That is, the devices must be synchronized together so that each media clip is embedded with timecode data and metadata that determines camera acquisition settings. Additional metadata can also be added at acquisition. Timecode information is used to identify a location in digital systems and on time-based media (e.g., audio or video tape) and is relied on for synchronization and reference throughout the audio, video, and post-production process. The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (“SMPTE”) genlock (Tri-level and Bi-Level sync signals) is an industry standard signal waveform that is relied on for synchronization and reference throughout the audio, video, and post-production process. Similarly, the audio and video signals from one camera at a given point in time may not properly align with the audio and video signals from a second camera. Without synchronization, the audio signals from one audio recorder at a given point in time may not properly align with the audio and video signals from a second camera.
In other words, if the devices are not synced, then each recorded clip of media will require manual synchronizing during post-production processing. This processing is both time consuming and expensive. During live events, streaming media feeds pose an even greater problem because there is no or a limited opportunity for post-production processing. Devices used for broadcasting live productions need to be synchronized together when the media is being recorded (e.g., in real-time). Therefore, ensuring that the devices are genlocked so that the cameras are in phase or synchronized with each other is important.